A BUSINESSMAN has accused Bolton Council of playing judge and jury to protect its own business interests — after his plans to create a new hotel were thrown out.

Tom Ashton owns the Ashton House building in Waterloo Street, off St Peter’s Way, which until last year had housed offices for the Royal Bank of Scotland.

In November he applied for permission to change the use of the building to allow him to create an 80-bed hotel — only to see his plans rejected a month later with the planning department stating that he had provided insufficient information.

Mr Ashton said that just a day later that he read news of the council’s intention to create its own 80-bed hotel on the former Odeon site in the town centre — as part of an overall scheme to develop a £50 million academic village.

The 80-year-old said: “I think serious questions need to be asked about how a council can be judge and jury when a blatant conflict of interests exists like this.

“Why is it right for the council to have such powers to see off any competition?”

He added: “The problem is, they have treated it as a minor application, which means it doesn’t have to go to the planning committee and can be decided by delegated powers alone.

“Even so, delegated powers gives them eight weeks to make a decision and there were still 25 days left when they threw it out for not having the right information — but they never asked me for more, if they had done I could have given it to them.”

The council said its handling of Mr Ashton’s plans was "correct in accordance with planning policy" and that the scheme was refused because "fundamental information" was missing.

A spokesman said: “The case officer correctly applied the sequential test which requires that applications for main town centre uses should be in town centre locations as a priority.

"The land for this application lies on the edge of the town centre and the applicant needed to demonstrate why this site should be considered.

He added: “Bolton is absolutely open for development and regeneration, providing that planning applications are properly supported and that relevant policies are met.”

The council — through its development partners PSP Bolton Ltd — owns the town centre Travelodge hotel.

Mr Ashton said: “So if they build one on the Odeon site they will own two out of the three hotels in the town centre.

“But that has to be built — I have the building ready here and could have a hotel up and running by the end of the year, bringing jobs and visitors to Bolton.”

Bolton Council said it was prepared to meet with Mr Ashton to "provide clarity" on the reasons for the decision and to instruct him on the information needed.